A chilling 911 call has been released after a 12-year-old girl came home to find her mother shot to death and a 5-year-old relative seriously wounded on Monday.

The shooter is still at large and no weapon has been found. The Columbiana County sheriff said there was no sign of a break-in at the Salem Township home.

As of Wednesday afternoon, authorities had released few new details and had not confirmed the names of the shooting victims. The information that NEWS9 has is from neighbors, people who knew the family, the initial 911 call and a network affiliate.

Neighbors identified each victim to WTOV9's NBC affiliate in Youngstown as 43-year-old Melinda Todd and her grandson, Cole. Todd was found dead at the scene and the boy is in Akron Children's Hospital after brain surgery, fighting for his life.

Officials said the Todd's daughter got off the school bus Monday afternoon and found her mother dead and Cole barely breathing. She ran to a neighbor's house with her sister to call 911. On the call, a dispatcher asked how old she was and she said, "I'm 12. I'm 12. My dad just came here to pick me up, too."

Another child on the call said, "My sister came home from school and our mom is like bleeding really bad. She won't wake up."

On the recording, her father got on the phone with 911 and described the horrific scene to the dispatcher.

911: "Sir, what is going on there?"
MAN: "My ex-wife is dead."
911: "Your ex-wife is ... OK. Is there a child injured too, sir?"
MAN: "Yes, there is."
911: "Hang on. I know it's hard to stay on the phone with you, but I just really need you to."
MAN: "I'm here. Hurry up. Please."
911: "I know."
MAN: "Oh, my."
911: "I know, honey."

During the telephone exchange, the man continued to answer questions for the dispatcher. Authorities said when they got to the scene, they found the man in the front yard of the home, holding Cole in his arms.


911: "Sir, I hate to ask you these questions, but how? How?
MAN: "How what?"
911: "How did she die?"
MAN: "I don't know. In the head."
911: "OK. She shot herself?"
MAN: "No."
911: "Is there a gun?"
MAN: "No."
911: "There's no gun. You don't see..."
MAN: "I don't see one."
911: "You don't see a gun? OK."
MAN: "No."


According to WFMJ in Youngstown, Cole is Melinda Todd's biological grandson, but friends said the boy had been with her since birth and called her "mom."

Cole's biological mother and Melinda's daughter -- Miranda Todd – is in prison for murdering her 7-month-old son, Derek Dennison, in 2010. Miranda Todd was convicted in June of murder, involuntary manslaughter and endangering a child.


With regard to the investigation into Melinda Todd's killing and Cole's shooting, the sheriff said he interviewed two people who had good alibis. Investigators are also looking at other persons of interest, but the sheriff would not say whom.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Columbiana County Sheriff's Office at 330-424-7255. People can also call the NEWS9 Lauttamus Security Crime Busters Tipline at 800-862-BUST. Tips can also be emailed to crimebusters@wtov.com.


-RELATED STORY: Mother found guilty of killing young son in Columbiana Co. (June 15, 2012)